How Cadillac's Entry as F1's 11th Team Changes Qualifying in 2026
With Cadillac joining as Formula 1's 11th team in 2026, the grid expands to 22 cars for the first time since 2016. To keep Q3 at ten drivers, the FIA now eliminates six cars in both Q1 and Q2 instead of five. Session lengths stay the same; only the cut line changes.
A grid not seen since 2016
Formula 1 has welcomed an 11th constructor for the first time in a decade. Cadillac, backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports, joined the grid in 2026, taking the total car count to 22. [4] That expansion is the first of its kind since 2016, the last time F1 ran a field of more than 20 cars. [1]
The Silverstone-based outfit entered as a Ferrari power-unit customer, with plans to introduce its own power units from 2028. [4] Its arrival made a small but consequential adjustment to Saturday afternoons necessary.
What actually changes in qualifying
The familiar three-part knockout structure, Q1, Q2, and Q3, remains intact, and session lengths are unchanged: Q1 runs for 18 minutes, Q2 for 15 minutes, and Q3 for 12 minutes. [2] The only modification concerns the elimination cut line.
Previously, with 20 cars, five drivers were knocked out in Q1 and a further five in Q2, leaving ten for the pole-position shootout. Now, the FIA's 2026 sporting regulations include an explicit scaling clause: "If twenty-two (22) Cars are eligible six (6) will be eliminated after Q1 and Q2." [2] The six slowest drivers in Q1 set grid positions 17th through 22nd; the six slowest survivors in Q2 lock in positions 11th through 16th; and the top ten contest Q3 exactly as before. [3]
Formula 1's own regulatory guide confirms that the change does not require a rewrite of the rules themselves; the existing framework already contained a provision for grids larger than 20 cars. [1]
:::analysis The practical effect for most race weekends is modest. Six cars eliminated per session rather than five adds one additional boundary battle in Q1 and Q2, which marginally broadens the midfield tension during qualifying. For an expansion team entering at the rear of the field, the change ensures the new constructors are absorbed into the format without distorting the Q3 pole battle that broadcasters and fans rely on. Whether Cadillac can clear the Q1 cut before the season matures is the more compelling long-term storyline.
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Sprint weekends follow the same logic
The adjustment applies equally to Sprint Qualifying sessions. SQ1 and SQ2 will each eliminate six cars when the full 22-car field participates, preserving the symmetry with the main qualifying procedure. [1]
Related reading
- [1]The beginner's guide to the 2026 Formula 1 regulations (formula1). Accessed 2026-07-03.
- [2]2026 F1 qualifying format explained as Cadillac expands the grid to 22 cars (motorsport). Accessed 2026-07-03.
- [3]How will F1 qualifying work in 2026? (the-race). Accessed 2026-07-03.
- [4]General Motors formally approved as F1's 11th team with Cadillac in 2026 (motorsport). Accessed 2026-07-03.
- [5]Cadillac receive final approval to join F1 grid in 2026 (formula1). Accessed 2026-07-03.